Day 39: Rogers Lake, Mississippi, to Bayou La Batre, Alabama

2) A teenage kid riding a bicycle towards us near Vancleave, Mississippi, gave us a full Nazi salute and yelled “White Power!” As we passed him.

3) I realized we are pretty much back to the same conversation dynamic we used to have when we worked at the Pinicon Restaurant in New Hampton, Iowa, back in high school. However, I believe we are more interesting people than the two meattheads who used to stand on opposite sides of the dishwasher at the Pinicon back in high school, talking about how in the world we were going to get beer that weekend.4) A man named Ron, wearing coveralls, approached us in the China Buffet in Vancleave, Mississippi, telling us to check out infowars.com and listen to Alex Jones’ radio show. He said he would testify in court that 9-11 was an inside job, and that all television and media are controlled by organized crime. He said he wanted to talk to us because most cyclists are open-minded. He then used the word “raghead” a half-dozen times. He also said he had a friend who was a professional cyclist, who “had all the leotards and everything.” The buffet was probably one of the best in rural Southern Mississippi.

5) After wondering what that popping sensation coming from my pedals was for the past two days, I looked down and realized one of the links on my chain was coming apart. We stopped

6) One of Tony’s spokes broke.

7) One Alabaman thought it would be *awesome* to pull up next to Tony, honk his horn and then aggressively rev the engine of his early ’90s Ford Explorer.

8 ) One other Alabaman in a white pickup towing a contractor’s trailer felt it was appropriate to buzz both of us just north of Grand Bay, Alabama, and get rid of a bunch of diesel smoke as he passed us.

9) The staff of the Waffle House in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, had a nearly complete meltdown. I could not see what was going on, but could hear it. Tony saw the whole thing, and said things like, “Okay, now the younger waitress is in the back crying.” “This is total mayhem.” “The cook just threw something.” From what I could hear, the cook, who is in full view of all the customers, was performing very poorly, but dominating the wait staff, refusing to let them call the manager to come and restore order. Our food exceptionally not awesome. But maybe still better than I could have cooked. But that’s not saying much, Waffle House.

10) We met Shane and Gil, a couple guys headed west on recumbent bikes.

These signs seemed like they appeared out of nowhere near Vancleave, Mississippi.

That’s about how I remember ‘Bama from a week I spent at swim camp there.

The best quote I recall was a Southern football playing camper asking “hey stupid hair, why does your shirt say Chay-oss (pronounced it just like that)”, to which my friend replied, “um, do you mean ‘chaos’?

Tony, I remember when you were about 4 and we went to Texas, (in a diesel car), Dad passed a motorcycle and we left him in a cloud of smoke. You kept asking dad when we were going to lay more smoke. It is coming back to haunt you.
Stay safe guys!!! I will continue to keep you guys in my prayers!! Luv u lots!